‘Hugo,’ ‘Artist’ lead Critics Choice noms

Winners will be announced on Jan. 12

A pair of homages to moviemaking — “Hugo” and “The Artist” — lead the nominations in the Broadcast Film Critics Association’s 17th annual Critics Choice Awards with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced on Jan. 12 in a ceremony at the Hollywood Palladium that will be televised on VH1.

“The Help” and “Drive” earned 8 nominations each; “The Descendants” and “War Horse” both garnered 7 nominations. “Drive” was honored in the picture and action movie categories while “Midnight in Paris” was recognized in picture and comedy categories. “The Tree of Life,”

“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” and “My Week With Marilyn” also scored multiple nominations. “The Muppets” received four nominations, three of which came for the songs “Life’s a Happy Song,” “Man or Muppet,” and “Pictures in My Head.”

Critics’ Choice favorite George Clooney received two ensemble noms for “The Descendants” and “The Ides of March,” along with his actor nom for “The Descendants.” This gives Clooney a record 13 Critics’ Choice nominations over the years, having received 10 prior nominations in addition to winning a special Freedom Award for “Good Night, and Good Luck.”

Meryl Streep will be seeking her third Critics’ Choice Movie Award for “The Iron Lady,” while Charlize Theron will be after her second award in the category. Streep previously won for “Doubt” and “Julie & Julia,” while Theron took the prize in 2003 for “Monster.” Michelle Williams, a supporting actress winner for 2005’s “Brokeback Mountain”

will also compete for “My Week With Marilyn.”

The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards are bestowed annually by the BFCA to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. The BFCA is the largest film critics’ organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 250 television, radio and online critics.

Since its inception in 1995, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards has been a bellwether for the Academy Awards. Last year, for example, all four of the acting category winners at the Oscars – Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo – first accepted their awards in the same categories at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. In all,

Final ballots for the 17th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards will be sent to BFCA members on Jan. 8 with a deadline for returning final ballots on Jan. 10. For more information about the show visit CriticsChoice.VH1.com, “Like” VH1 on Facebook, and follow @VH1 on Twitter and use the hashtag #CCMA to talk about the awards!

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BEST SONG“Hello Hello” — performed by Elton John and Lady Gaga/written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin — Gnomeo & Juliet“Life’s a Happy Song” — performed by Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie — The Muppets“The Living Proof” — performed by Mary J. Blige/written by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman and Harvey Mason, Jr. — The Help“Man or Muppet” — performed by Jason Segel and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie — The Muppets“Pictures in My Head” — performed by Kermit and the Muppets/written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman — The Muppets